BCC's Sbrega asks legislators to support Patrick budget

Saturday

Feb 2, 2013 at 12:01 AMFeb 2, 2013 at 7:03 AM

FALL RIVER — Bristol Community College could see its state funding increase by more than 20 percent this year thanks to Gov. Deval Patrick's recommendation of $112 million in state funding for community colleges.

ARIEL WITTENBERG

FALL RIVER — Bristol Community College could see its state funding increase by more than 20 percent this year thanks to Gov. Deval Patrick's recommendation of $112 million in state funding for community colleges.

"This is a bold, great step forward from the governor," BCC President John Sbrega said during a presentation to the area's legislative delegation Friday morning. "It means more faculty posts, advisers and counselors."

The $112 million for community colleges proposed by Patrick is a $20 million increase from last year's state budget, and will benefit BCC in turn. BCC's state funding would increase to $16.1 million in fiscal 2014 from $13.8 million the previous year under the proposal.

State funding makes up less than 30 percent of the total BCC budget, which is projected to total $67.8 million this year, and Sbrega said the college has had to use student tuition hikes to help fund the college. Tuition per-credit this year is $174, ranking BCC seventh among the state's 15 community colleges.

"We've struggled to try and keep this affordable," Sbrega told the legislators.

In an interview following his presentation, Sbrega said that in past years, all 15 community colleges have split state funding equally, despite having different sized campuses and student populations. Under that model, BCC, which has the third-largest enrollment, was receiving the same amount of funding as smaller schools.

"I don't want to present myself as angry about that, but the hope of this round of funding is that it is comprehensive, and that the distribution of funding would follow the students," Sbrega said.

He told the legislative delegation that this year, presidents of all community colleges agreed to funding levels with "varying distribution."

He said the funding was particularly important to keep up the college's work in developmental education, a program to ensure students have the skills they need to attend classes at the college.

"Half of the students who come here need developmental work," he said. "It's spring training to hone your skills so you can compete on opening day."

That program, he said, allows BCC to have an "open door" policy and not turn students away who do not yet meet the school's academic standards.

"These are students aspiring for a better life through education," he said. "We have a responsibility to them."